The Naboo Charter
by Reykenobi
Summary: Set years after the dissolution of the Naboo Charter, a treaty that had brought eight years of peace to the galaxy by uniting the Populist and Centrist factions around their leaders -the Kenobis and the Skywalkers - Kylo Ren now seeks to end the fighting by proposing a bold idea to Rey. Inspired by the politics in Bloodlines and by the many arranged marriage stories in the fandom.
1. Chapter 1

Hux strode in confidently, his Stromtroopers dragging a small woman in with them.

Though it had been years since he had seen her, her expression was the exact same as Kylo remembered, beautiful and angry. Her appearance showed signs of a struggle, her hair had been pulled loose, a few stray strands falling over her face. She had been hit, a cut on her lower lip looked raw and fresh. Her pilot's uniform had been ripped as well; she wore tight white pants, high boots, and a tight white top, but her top had been ripped at the neck, so that it sat unevenly on her shoulders.

She had been gagged, and her hands were tied behind her back, but she held her head high as the troopers pushed her into the room.

"I told you she was not to be harmed, General." Kylo reprimanded angrily.

Hux and his troopers stopped before Kylo, Hux's expression unaffected by Kylo's comment.

"You also told me to deliver her," Hux's bored voice echoed in the small room, "it should come as no surprise that she did not come willingly."

Kylo approached the girl, standing over her as if to inspect her. Her injuries did appear to have been given with restraint, it did not appear that Hux had injured her unnecessarily.

Kylo reached to remove Rey's gag.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, " Hux interjected, "Her bark is as bad as her bite. The girl is practically feral."

Kylo lowered his hands and turned to Hux. He spoke quietly and forcefully, "Leave."

Hux narrowed his eyes slowly, glaring at Kylo, but turned and left.

Kylo turned to the troopers still holding Rey. Despite the expressionless blank façade of his mask, the message was clear: his order had been intended for _everyone_. The troopers quickly dropped their hold of Rey and left the room.

Rey kept her gaze focused on him, her expression fearless and determined. Her eyes were narrowed, her brows furrowed.

She feigned indifference to the change in the room, appearing unaffected by being left alone with him. Kylo sensed the cracks in her façade – he was an intimidating man, taller than her by almost of foot and significantly wider and stronger than the average man. Their size difference was so great it could have been misinterpreted as a species break.

He stepped towards her again, reaching to gently untie the gag around her mouth. He took a deep breath as he lowered it, seeing her whole face.

He had braced himself for an onslaught of insults and swears, but was instead met with icy and silent contempt.

She glared up at him, unmoving.

"I apologize for Hux's behavior." Kylo said quietly. "He was instructed not to harm you."

She said nothing, and continued to glare.

Kylo tried again, "General Kenobi, it's been a long time."

Her expression remained stony, but she said, "Sure has." Her voice was deep and strong, nothing like the breathy high-pitched squeals he had known as a boy. It took him a moment to adjust to hearing her adult voice, and yet, even in those two words, he could hear the tones and inflections of the girl he had known.

He wondered if she could recognize anything of the boy she had known. His voice was changed by his mask and his face completely obscured. He had always been taller than her, having been older and even amongst the boys his own age he was often the tallest by a foot at least.

He had loved to lord his height over her. He would tease her by holding toys over her head or by throwing her over his shoulder to make her come play with him on morning when she was trying to sleep in. He remembered how she would tip her face completely up, her chin directed straight in the air, so that she could yell at him directly into his face. He was grateful for his mask as he felt a smile creep over his face at the memory.

Even now, she was glaring at him, her chin tipped up as she used to do – but the woman before him was not that child anymore. Her elegant full face had lost all of its youthful cheer. The years had given her a more angled look, her jawline sharp, and her cheekbones high. She had a small scar through her left eyebrow.

"What were you even doing on Corellia?" he asked, still surprised that Hux's landing party had spotted her in an open market, unprotected and alone. He had spent the past three years trying to catch her, searching, hunting and missing her by inches each time, and somehow Hux had found her on a routine inspection.

She blinked, surprised by his question, "I-" she paused and reconsidered, "Let's get this over with. What do you want?"

Kylo took a deep breath. He had a lot to explain and he needed her to understand.

"Perhaps no one in the Resistance ever told you this, but you and I are," He paused, "…betrothed."

She grimaced, clearly she had been told, "We _were_." She corrected.

He continued, "The eight years during which the galaxy was governed by the Naboo Charter were years of peace and prosperity. Starblood was cured, the Bandorian Hospital was built, the Central Exchange was stabilized, the Urtk Clans jailed and the spice smugglers rooted out."

If at first, Rey was stunned by his choice of subject, she had quickly recovered and boldly interjected, "I don't need a history lesson, I know what happened. The First Order's secret militia on Dantooine put an end to all of that."

"The militia was a lawful defense operation, protected by the Niroute Declaration-,"

Rey scoffed, "The Niroute Declaration never cleared the New Republic Congress,"

"The New Republic Congress didn't have the authority to approve or disapprove of a federation doctrine,"

"The Niroute Declaration was a not a federation doctrine, it was _galactic_ doctrine because the systems -"

Kylo cut her off, "Look, we may disagree about why the war started, but you must agree that since the Naboo Charter was nullified, the galaxy has suffered."

Rey shook her head dismissively, "Of course."

Kylo's heart began to beat quickly in his chest. He stepped towards her again, watching her tilt her face up to look at him. He took a deep breath and said, "I want to reinstate the terms of the Naboo Charter."

Her jaw fell slowly open, her eyes widening in shock, and then narrowing in suspicion and scorn. After a long pause, she began to shake her head at him, her expression of shock having faded into one of disgust and loathing – just as he had feared.

"You disgusting monster," She spat, her voice deeper and shaking.

He lowered his gaze to the floor, frustrated at her rejection. He had suspected that the idea would repulse her, but had hoped to have the opportunity to get her to consider the idea.

She continued to shake her head at him, "You selfish, greedy, power-hungry, bastard! Is there nothing you wouldn't do for power? You'd marry yourself to a stranger, to an _enemy_ just to gain yourself power!"

He reeled from her words, and looked back to her face. "Power?!" He yelled. "Power? This has nothing to do with power – I don't give a damn about that."

She rolled her eyes and scoffed again.

He stepped towards her, his hands raised and open, "I want _peace_." He emphasized the word "peace", speaking it with reverence.

The anger fell from her face. She said nothing as his words echoed in the room.

"I just want peace back in our galaxy." He spoke softly.

She considered him, and remained silent for a long moment, then said sarcastically, "So end the war."

She raised one eyebrow and glared at him as if she had challenged him to dare.

"Conceding to the Resistance would doom the galaxy to decades of anarchy and disorder akin to that of the Old Republic. Your organization doesn't have the power to keep the Inner Rim planets in order, and the factures would result in mess of local wars and lawlessness."

She glared at him, opening her mouth to rebut his statement, but he continued, "At the same time," his kept the tone of his voice conciliatory, "The First Order will never win over the Outer Rim planets, meaning so-called Freedom Fighters will forever plague the militia's defenses. We will never be able to rule effectively as long as our forces have to divide their attentions."

She closed her mouth, her lips tightening into a straight line. His analysis of the situation matched exactly what she had been saying to her Admirals for years, and the conclusion of the facts was clear: this war will never end.

Which brought them back to his proposal: the Naboo Charter.

Her stomach fell as she realized what he was saying: this war will never end, _unless we instate the Naboo Charter._ She gasped briefly for air.

The Charter had been written to unite the Populist and Centrist movements. War had plagued the galaxy for over a generation but for a short time the two parties had agreed to end the fighting under the charter's terms: the galaxy would fall under a governing monarchy, an authoritative entity of centralized power that would be balanced by a galactic senate in which the voice of the people would be powerfully represented. The Charter clearly stated the nature of the monarchy: it was agreed that both ideologies must be represented. As the leaders of their respective parties, it was demanded that the Skywalker's and the Kenobi's agree to an arranged marriage between their children.

The families agreed, and for eight years, the galaxy lived in peace, waiting for their would-be monarchs to grow to be of age. Rey recalled that after the war resumed, her mother would to refer to those years the Days of Harmony.

Rey raised her gaze back to Kylo, who had been waiting quietly for her to work through his argument.

"Take off your mask," She demanded suddenly.

He was taken aback by her statement, "Are you really so shallow? What I am suggesting will bring peace to the entire galaxy and you're worried about my looks?" He had no pride in his looks –no one besides himself had seen his face in years, but he was certain he was plain or even ugly by most standards - but even if he had had a face to be proud of, he knew he could never have matched her in looks.

"I am not going to discuss the possibility of marriage with your mask." She raised her eyebrow again in sarcastic demand.

He regretted his defensive comment. He wore his mask in order to keep people at bay, to create distance between himself and others, and to prevent anyone from trying to get close to him. Of course it would prove a barrier between himself and Rey as he asked the poor girl to spend her life shackled to him in the name of politics.

He reached up and unclasped the mask, pulling it slowly off his head.

She reacted to his face, drawing in a quick breath and staring at him intently. He couldn't read her reaction, but felt confident she would not react to him with attraction or appreciation. He wondered if she recognized him.

He realized she was still handcuffed. Her point about his mask made him appreciate that he had been approaching this conversation poorly. If his plan was going to work, she needed to understand exactly what she was getting into, and agree to it without coercion. It had to be a mutual understanding between two equals.

He stepped towards her to undo her cuffs, but she instinctively stepped away. He hesitated awkwardly, wishing for the first time in his life that he were smaller and less intimidating. She must feel like a wamp rat facing off with a gundark.

He tried again, moving slowly and gently towards her, and this time she remained still, watching him intently, suspicious but curious about his intention.

He approached her, facing her and looking down into her face as he reached behind her to undo the cuffs. He didn't want to hide anything from her. He wanted her to know the face she was considering marrying, to know what it would feel like to have him close.

She seemed to understand, and allowed him to reach around her waist, to gently undo the cuffs that held her hands behind her back. He gripped one of her tiny wrists in his large hand. She looked up to his face, studying him as he stood inches from her. She did not lean away, or pull back as he worked on the second latch of the cuffs. Her expression was contemplative and considering.

They both heard the click of the second latch and felt the cuffs come free. For a short moment, neither of them moved, but after a pause, Kylo backed away, a sense of regret filling him as the space between them widened.

He sighed quickly. He reminded himself that his proposition was a political one: they needed to be able to wed without revulsion. Attraction was not necessary, and in fact would likely ruin the scheme.

She rubbed her wrists, which had been left red and raw by the cuffs, "Thank you." She stated quietly.

He waited for her to speak again. He had explained what it was he was suggesting, justified his reasoning, provided her his analysis. It was now in her hands to consider and respond, so he waited.

Rey wrinkled her nose slightly. It was an expression of thought, and not disgust, as he had feared at first. She was thinking it all through.

She met his gaze, looking up at him reflectively, "If any of the systems think either of us have been coerced, that we have fractures between us, or that we have been disloyal – it would ruin everything."

He nodded, "Yes. It would need to be a true union, in the vain of the old monarchies."

She nodded too, her gaze suddenly far away, and her thoughts pained. "I have a partner… he is not going to like this."

"Dameron will learn to live without you." Kylo's stomach turned slightly. Kylo's grudge against Poe was far-reaching and nearly as old as himself. He hated to admit that there was a very petty piece of him that delighted at the idea of stealing away something Poe cared about, as Poe had done to him nearly a hundred times before.

She sighed, sadness washing over her face for a moment. He waited patiently for her to think it through.

She recovered slowly, her determination growing, she looked back to Kylo, her face full again with resolve. "What would be required of me?"

Kylo shifted uncomfortably. He hadn't ever thought past convincing her of the merits of the arrangement, the details had never mattered. He had no idea what should be required of her.

"I'm not sure. We will need to appear to all the galaxy as a united pair – any rumors to the contrary could reignite the war. More to the point, there are many who will not be happy with this union - it will strip some of the power they have had during the war."

Rey nodded and he continued cautiously, "Therefore we will need _be_ a united pair. We will need to trust each other fully."

Rey grimaced briefly, but recovered. She asked quietly and thoughtfully, "How can we do that? We have been enemies as long as I can remember."

Her words stung, but he could hear the sincerity of her tone. He said quietly, "You may not remember, but there was a time when we were not enemies. We trusted each other then."

She nodded grimly. He suspected she remembered it more than she let on. He could feel the memory of her tugging on his hair, giggling gleefully in his ear as he carried her on his back. He could remember presenting her with a small white flower, which she had carried in her pocket for months, until the evacuation from Naboo when the Populist guards had pulled it from her screaming clutches as they pushed her through decontamination. He could remember seeing her trembling form standing alone in the wash station, staring into her tiny hand out-held where the flower had been. He remembered trying to wave goodbye as he was pulled away in the opposite direction by Centrist guards. It was the last time he had seen her before he was sent to Corescant, to live in Centrist territory. It was the last time he had seen her until today.

"What happens next?" She asked, breaking him from his reverie.

"If you agree, we will announce our intentions to the leaders of the Resistance and the Fist Order, and then to the local planetary governors. The Charter is quite precise about how the preliminary steps are to be executed, and the governmental procedures have been outlined fairly exhaustively." He paused and said, "I want to be clear, if you do _not_ agree, I will provide you a ship with enough fuel to get you wherever you want to go. You are not a prisoner aboard this ship, and are free to simply leave."

She nodded. "Hux would not be happy about that." She said sarcastically.

Despite himself, Kylo chuckled, "Hux will not be happy if you choose to stay."

"Who's to say anyone even wants this? We could say we are going to reinstate the Naboo Charter and the galaxy could go right on fighting its war." Rey asked.

"You are the noble and beloved war hero of the Populists, and they will follow you wherever you lead them. The galaxy is tired of war and if you show them a way out, they will love you even more for it."

"Can you promise the same from the Centrists?"

"Yes." Kylo said confidently, "The respect of the Centrists goes to those with the most strength and power, which has been me for almost a decade now. And they, too, are tired of war."

Rey walked to the viewport, gazing out over the stars and considering the magnitude of her decision. Kylo hesitated, unsure if she wanted company in her contemplation.

She turned from the viewport to look at him, "And then we are supposed to govern over all of this?"

He walked over to her to join her at the viewport. If they were going to be a team, they had best start now. "Yes, we will be balanced by the Galactic Senate, but yes."

"Where will we live?"

Again, she surprised him by her question – in the years he had been pursuing her to propose this idea, he had never considered their living arrangements for if she agreed. He wondered if he always expected her to reject him.

"I don't know. Can't we figure that out later?" He asked.

"Yes." She said quietly, turning back to the viewport.

He realized his answer had made her sad; she was looking for answers. She was trying to picture her future, a future that had shifted drastically in the past hour of conversation.

"Where would you like to live?" He asked.

He could see her thinking it over, scrunching her nose in thought.

"Naboo seems appropriate." She answered, finally.

"Yes." He agreed.

She turned to look up at him, "I'm ready."

He nodded, "You need to be sure, Rey." Her gaze snapped up to meet his as he said her name.

"I'm sure, Ben." She said. It broke his heart to hear her say his name, the name he despised, the name he had rejected… the name he had taught her when she was young.

Thanks for reading! This has been floating around my head for a long time and I just had to get it out. Feedback is appreciated and encouraged. I am totally in love with this fandom, and with all you cool cats in the Reylo trashcompactor with me.


	2. Chapter 2

_Wow! Thanks so much for the feedback everyone - I had intended the first chapter to just be a one shot, but you convinced me to continue the story! I hope you like it and where we are headed!_

* * *

"I really think you should come with me." Rey said. She was preparing to speak with the leaders of the Resistance to inform them of her and Kylo's plan to enact the Naboo Charter.

Kylo hesitated. She had been arguing that they should begin acting as a united force right from the start, and tell their respective groups together.

Already they were disagreeing. Kylo feared that his presence in this conversation with her people would give the illusion of coercion, or that the Populists would not speak freely in front of him.

But his ulterior motive was that he wanted to keep her out of the room when he told the First Order leaders. The political leaders of the Centrists would require no persuading, but their military arm, The First Order, would see a significant reduction in their power and importance and therefore would not react well to this news. Kylo dreaded this conversation above all else, and he did not want Rey to witness it. Hux would not be restrained by her presence in the room, and could say any number of things that might jeopardize the entire scheme.

"I think my presence will hinder your arguments, and overshadow your message." Kylo said.

Rey sighed, frustrated that they were already butting heads, but she decided to push it no further. His mother would be among those she would need to tell… Rey could imagine that this would be awkward for him.

"Fine." Rey said tartly.

He noted her tone and turned to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. At such a close distance, he could see the faint freckles on her nose and cheeks. He tried to focus on the conversation at hand, "You can do this. They will follow you. I think you know that."

Rey nodded.

"I won't be more than an hour or so, and then we can start to prepare for the announcement on the galactic channels." They would announce their intentions together over the open frequencies – a method of communication not used since the New Republic days because it could be picked up by both the Centrist and Populist stations.

He continued, "I think we should announce publicly…" he paused, "tomorrow night."

He braced himself for her argument that they should wait, that this was going too fast, but instead she said, "We shouldn't wait any longer than that… tomorrow will be a chaotic day for the people. No matter what we tell the governors about secrecy, by Coruscanti noon the news of this will have spread to the streets like asteroid dust."

He continued to be impressed by her political understanding. For all the years she had been with the Resistance, her reputation as a pilot and a fighter had been heralded such that even within the First Order her name was spoken with respect. Perhaps it was his prejudice against pilots, but he had expected her to have grown up into a brash, reckless gear-head. He was pleasantly surprised to discover this was not the case.

"Agreed." He shuffled his feet slightly, "I think we should travel to Naboo tonight, after we finish these communications." He stepped back from her, the awkwardness of this next conversation agonizing. "We should take up residence there immediately, and announce tomorrow from the palace. It will lend us the legitimacy of the past monarchs, and provide a sufficiently grand backdrop." He framed his points in terms of their political ramifications, but knew this topic would imply significant domestic complications as well.

Rey paled slightly, clearly struggling with the same question he had tried desperately to avoid: how far was their marital pretense going to go? Must they share living quarters? Must they share a _bed_?

She recovered herself, and nodded, "Okay, but we should go there alone tonight… to avoid too many eyes or ears on us at the start. The political fanfare can begin tomorrow. I can fly your shuttle, if you don't mind."

Her plan gave them the benefit of one more day before the pretense must begin. "We can meet in the shuttle bay when we're done." He agreed and then added, "You've been granted free travel in the ship – no soldier will harm you, but in case you need anything take this." He placed a small short-range communicator in her hand. "I'll show you where to go on our way to the long-range transmission room."

She took the communicator, but shook her head, "I know where the shuttle bay is, and the transmission room. I'll show myself out."

He nodded as she left the room. As the door slid behind her, all the stiffness in his body gave way. His shoulders sagged and his head drooped down to his chest. He hadn't even realized how much tension he had been holding in his body while in her presence.

Her absence provided the solitude Kylo needed to process everything. After years of hunting and searching for her in order to achieve this one goal, she had agreed, and more to the point, she had embraced the plan. She understood the merits of his scheme as well as he did and seemed as invested in its success as he was. She was proving a worthy partner just as she had always proved a worthy opponent.

Kylo debated replacing his helmet before calling his officers into his room to give them his news, but decided against it. The helmet had been an effective tool of intimidation and concealment when violence and strength had been the currency of power, but he was building a new government where new tactics would be required. The galaxy would never accept a masked king – he needed to embrace the power of his true face now.

He pushed the communicator on his wall and called for the immediate presence of General Hux, Admirals Mitaka, Gren, Voreal, and the twelve district governors stationed at military bases across the First Order run galaxy.

Hux entered the room first, "What is this about, Ren?" He asked lazily. "I notice you've given permission for the girl to roam the ship freely. That little savage is likely to hack into our-"

Kylo cut him off, "Silence."

Hux look furious and looked up to rebut, when he noticed Kylo was not wearing his mask. It took him by such surprise that he abandoned his rebuttal and stood with an expression of shock.

Admiral Gren then joined them next, determinedly acting as if Kylo's unmasked presence affected him in no way. As the governors began joining in via hologram, they followed Gren's lead and they too pretended as if it were completely natural for Kylo to stand before them without his mask.

Admiral Voreal joined via hologram, as did the last district governor who was traveling aboard the ship and therefore could attend in person. Last to enter the room was Admiral Mitaka, timid and sweaty as he always was in the presence of Ren.

"Now that I have you all assembled, I implore you all to note that you are being instructed to maintain this information as secret until tomorrow night at which point it will be announced publicly over the galactic channels."

Hux broke in, "The _galactic_ channels?" his tone was incredulous.

"Yes." Kylo continued speaking firmly, "Tomorrow night, I plan to re-instate the terms of the Naboo Charter. "

If they had been surprised before to see his face, it was nothing compared to shock that reverberated through the room at this statement. No longer able to maintain any pretense of calm, the governors reacted in astonishment, blurting out questions all at once. It was impossible to make out anything distinct, but Kylo heard several use the phrase "can't do that" and "but what about" and "impossible."

"Hold your questions." Kylo said roughly. Raising his hands. "I will explain: Under my orders, General Hux captured General Kenobi this morning from a market in Corellia. She was brought here and without coercion she agreed to re-instate the terms of the Charter with me. This will bring back the peace of the Days of Harmony, and allow the galaxy to heal and prosper again. We will announce this tomorrow evening, at which point a ceasefire will be immediately instated for both sides. The following day, nominees for the new senate will be submitted and elections will occur one week after the wedding." He choked slightly on the last word.

"I will now take any questions." He finished.

The room was silent. Their previous uproar now quieted to a stunned silence.

Kylo waited, but they said nothing.

"Now is the time to speak up if you have questions or concerns." He said.

Mitaka stepped forward, his demeanor nervous. He walked up to Kylo, who watched in concerned suspicion. Mitaka stood before Kylo, looking up at him with an expression of stoic solemnity.

He then put out his hand for Kylo to shake, keeping his gaze fixed on Kylo.

"Thank you, sir," Mitaka said his voice steady for the first time in Kylo's presence.

Kylo took his hand and shook it, nodding appreciatively.

Mitaka stepped back to the group of men and holograms, and said, "You have ended the war. Thank you, my _King_." And then he knelt.

The other governors watched him, and began to follow his lead. Each kneeling and as they did so saying, "Our king."

Hux had been in the back of the group. Kylo watched his face contort with rage as Hux watched his fellow soldiers and leaders kneel one by one. Eventually he was the last in the room standing, besides Kylo himself. The two men stared at each other, mutual loathing now plain on their faces.

Several of the governors closest to Hux looked up to him from their kneeling position. He looked down at the men around him, and scoffed in disgust. He then turned on his heel and strode out of the room.

The men then turned back to Kylo to see how he would react to this disobedience, anticipating an outbreak of Kylo's usual brand of violence and fury.

Instead, he bowed back to the men before him, saying, "Please stand. I am honored by your loyalty." They began to stand, and he walked up to speak to Mitaka, quietly whispering in his ear, "Please stay behind after they've left." Mitaka nodded.

Kylo then went personally to each person in the room, thanking them individually for their allegiance. They began to disconnect their transmissions as their conversations with him came to a close. After all the others had left, it was just he and Mitaka in the room.

Mitaka seemed to have slipped into a bit of his old ways, finding himself in sudden solitude with Kylo. He was a nervous man, which had always been exacerbated by Kylo's presence.

"I understand you were born on Naboo." Kylo began.

Mitaka shuffled slightly. "Yes I lived there until the evacuation. My parents' house was destroyed in the Centrist bombardment," He looked suddenly stricken, "Though we remained loyal, of course, we moved to Carida which was Centrist."

Kylo nodded, "I was not doubting your loyalty, Admiral." Mitaka took a deep sigh of relief.

Kylo continued, "In fact, quite the opposite. General Kenobi and I plan to establish our residence on Naboo, in the old palace, and will need friends to help us get through the first phases of the transition. I'd like to appoint you as the head of our household,"

Mitaka looked at Kylo, barely concealing the shock on his face while Kylo continued "I want to thank you for your display of loyalty today – not to me, but to the galaxy we serve. General Kenobi and I will need people like you, who value the needs of the galaxy above all else. It's no secret you were ill-suited to your position during this war. You disappointed me on numerous occasions." Kylo paused, "but the new government will require people who are careful and calculating, slow to action, deliberate. If you can assist us during this transition period, I will help you in any political career you choose."  
Mitaka face was solemn, his gratitude clear. "Thank you sir. I'd like to say, if I may…" he hesitated, and Kylo allowed him the moment to collect his courage, "I admire what you and General Kenobi are doing. The galaxy needs peace."

Kylo looked at him poignantly. "I think we understand each other, Admiral. The next few days will be crucial for the establishment of peace. The Populists and Centrist both must feel that they will be adequately heard, which means General Kenobi and I must make clear to all the relevant parties that this agreement was reached mutually. If any rumors of coercion spring up, our scheme will fail."

Mitaka nodded, "It would be a rallying call to the Populists especially if they think their beloved General was subdued by you."

Kylo nodded, "Yes, it must be clear to all that she is a willing partner and is being well-treated and cared for."

Mitaka continued, "It would also, however, be problematic if the Centrists thought that you had fallen for her."

Kylo paused, "What do you mean?"

Mitaka paled, but continued, "Forgive me sir, but if the Centrists believe you have grown to care for her, that she holds any real power over you, they will lose their respect for your strength."

Kylo nodded slowly. This had not occurred to him. "Yes… that is a good point Mitaka." Kylo clapped his hand on Mitaka's shoulder. "You are going to be well-suited to politics, Mitaka."

Mitaka smiled, "Thank you sir,"

"Alright, the General and I intend to go to Naboo alone tonight to get settled. I will expect you in the morning. You are granted access to any resources you require, including men, guards, supplies, credits – anything."

"Sir-" Mitaka began, "Sir, are you sure you and General Kenobi should travel alone? Word of this will spread quickly, and not everyone is going to be in favor of it."

Kylo smiled, "The entire Resistance has been after my head for years, and our forces after the General for years – I think the safest place in the universe is anyplace where she and I stand united."

Mitaka nodded and left, saying "Yes, sir."

* * *

Kylo left the room and headed to the shuttle bay. To his surprise, his ship had already been prepped. Kylo was told that the order to prepare the ship had come from Mitaka; the man was already impressing Kylo in his new position. Kylo walked into his ship, a knot growing in his stomach as he contemplated the awkwardness that awaited him on the opposite end of the journey.

Rey was nowhere to be seen, so he exited and went to stand near the gangplank to wait for her. He saw Hux entering the shuttle bay, his entire figure cloaked in fury and wrath. He stormed up to Kylo.

"What the hell are you playing at Ren?!" He demanded, his words clipped and his voice shaking. "We were building something, we were taking ground! You're conceding defeat to the Resistance right when the tides were turning in our favor!"

Kylo shook his head at the general, "We never could have stomped out the freedom fighters in the outer rim, Hux. We always would be have been divided between ruling and squashing down rebellion. And this isn't defeat, this is peace."

Hux was shaking his head. "We were taking ground. If you would just let me use more force with the rebels-"

Kylo cut him off, "Hux, this is happening. We are going to enact the Charter. There will still be a place for you, there will be a royal guard, there will be a defensive militia, there will be police squadrons, you could take your pick."

"Police squadrons?" Hux face contorted further, "You're throwing away everything we fought for, what… because of the _girl_?!"

Kylo's rage mounted, and he raised his voice to match the tone of Hux's, "'The _girl'_? She is your future Queen, Armitage, so you had better learn to hold your tongue. And of course this has nothing to do with her – if I could end the war without her I would do it, but the marriage is the crux of the whole scheme, so I will take that lashing for the sake of the galaxy! I don't give a damn about her, she just happens to have the right last name to appease the masses!"

Hux had begun to grin about halfway through Kylo's speech, which enraged him more, until he felt someone push past him onto the ship.

Hux turned and walked out of the shuttle bay, as Kylo turned back to the ship, watching Rey stride up the gangplank, her head held high.

"Dammit" Kylo mumbled following after her.

He entered the ship, and found her sitting in the pilot's seat, working on the dash to prepare the ship for travel.

"Do you have everything you need?" She asked, her voice was shaking and raw. It sounded like she had been crying.

Kylo's stomach dropped. Had his words affected her this much? He hadn't really meant what he had said at all; he had said it only to dissuade Hux.

He went to sit next to her, putting his hand on her knee, "You okay?"

She looked up from the dash, her eyes puffy and cheeks red. She looked down to his hand on her leg with disgust and pulled her leg away from him.

"I'm fine. Let's just get out of here." Her voice was cold and thin.

He remained silent for the rest of the trip, which was mercifully short.

As they broke through Naboo's atmosphere, he gazed over the scenery of his and Rey's former homeworld.

The Centrists chemical bombs that had fallen when the war re-ignited had decimated several of the most populated valleys, leaving the earth scorched and raw. Blankets of red and orange leaves now covered these abandoned valleys like mortuary cloths. The Nabooian Autern trees were all that could grow on the destroyed earth and their leaves had a distinct red orange shimmer.

Somehow, perhaps by the command of some noble Centrist, the ancient palace of the monarchy had been spared, an empty and isolated rocky island in the middle of a sea of red destruction and death.

The palace was a gorgeous stone castle perched on the edge of a cliff face, its soaring towers blending into the cliff's monumental walls.

Rey skillfully docked their ship on the landing pad. She left the ship in silence, leaving Kylo alone in the cockpit. Again we was faced with the decision to leave her be, or attempt to comfort her, as a husband in a real marriage might do.

He decided to follow after her. He had, after all, caused her pain, and perhaps if he could merely explain what he had meant, he could correct the situation.

She had walked to one of the many overlooks that soared over the crevasse that lay beneath the castle. She leaned against a small stone banister, beyond which laid thousands of meters of open air.

He approached her slowly, and decided against trying to touch her again. He stood next to her, and joined her as she gazed into the abyss of the crevasse below.

"I'm sorry, Rey" he said finally.

She turned to look at him, her face covered in fresh tears.

"I didn't mean any of what I said to Hux. You are not just a convenient last name. You've proven to be an adept politician. If I have marry someone in order to lead the galaxy to peace, I am grateful to have you as a partner and not anyone else."

Rey's expression was impossible for him to read, she look equal parts confused and disinterested. He thought his words would comfort her and placate the situation, but it did not seem to have the effect he expected.

"Rey?" he asked, trying to get her to speak.

"I – I had to tell Poe." She said, looking away from him.

"Oh." He said. He felt the blood rushing to his face, and his stomach drop. She was sad because she had to give up Poe. It had nothing to do with him. Kylo wondered how he could have been so stupid. Of course his comments couldn't have brought her to tears; she didn't care enough about him to be bothered by them.

Kylo sighed, his embarrassment rising. He mumbled quietly, "I'll leave you be," and turned to leave.

She reached for his arm, gabbing him quickly to keep him from walking away, "No… I-" she paused, "I know you didn't ask for this either. I'm sorry for both of us."

He nodded, noting the tingling he felt where her hand touched his arm. He felt further shame creep up his spine: he clearly wasn't as sorry as she was.

He remained silent and watched as she worked to collect herself. She sniffled several times and wiped her eyes, drying her cheeks with her sleeves.

"There," She said looking up at him, "How do I look?"

He felt his stomach drop. Even with her puffy eyes and red cheeks, she looked radiant. His attraction to her was growing with every moment he spent with her, and it was threatening to ruin everything. If she knew that he felt any pleasure at the idea of marrying her, her vision of their shared misery would shatter. Perhaps she would even blame him for their predicament. It could threaten everything he had been working towards.

"You've looked better," he said mildly, trying to downplay the affect her close proximity was having on him. He turned to head into the castle, hoping she would remain behind and give him time to collect himself.

Instead, she chuckled, and followed along behind after him.

"How is this going to work?" She asked boldly after she had caught up to him.

He stiffened and searched for a diplomatic response, but took too long so she continued, "I mean… our living arrangements."

His heart began beating more quickly. He had known exactly what she meant, but he had no idea how to answer her. The truth was, he thought they should live as close to typical marital standards as they – or really she – could stomach. He thought this was the safest solution that would arouse the least suspicion from their would-be enemies, but he also feared that such close proximity might be more than they – or really he – could handle.

She continued to follow along after him, the echo of her question hovering around them awkwardly.

"Ben?" She asked, sweetly.

"Don't call me that!" He snapped, dodging her first question. She looked at him with shock.

"Don't call you 'Ben'?" She asked, her voice returning to its usual strength, all wavering from crying gone. "Well I'm not going to call you 'Kylo Ren' that is for sure." She stated angrily.

They entered a grand hall, a beautiful three story high room with an elegant grand staircase carved from stone of the of the cliff and a giant glass skylight at the top. Tonight the stars shined brightly down through the skylight, casting the room in a dusky glow. It was the most elegant room Rey had ever seen, but in her anger, she barely had time to appreciate it.

He began to climb the staircase – he remembered where the residential corridors were and just needed to lay down and go to sleep.

"Fine, don't call me anything then." He snapped back. Part of him wished she would abandon her chase and leave him to find a bedroom alone, but she persisted in following after him, her anger mounting.

"Don't call you anything?!" She repeated, her voice rising higher in her escalating frustration.

She was beginning to sound like the young girl who had often yelled at him all those years ago, probably in this very hall.

He continued to stalk away from her, stepping off the stairs at the third floor and heading down the corridor. The grandest room was at the end of the hall and -damn her - he was going to take it for himself.

"I am going to have to marry you, you ass, so don't tell me not to call you anything." She yelled. Finally so enraged that she was unwilling to continue following along behind him placidly, she grabbed his arm and pulled him to a violent stop in the hall.

He leaned over her, using his height to intimidate her, but she did not seem afraid. "Fine, call me whatever you want. Call me Ben, call me Jedi Killer, call me monster, I don't care."

She gaped up at him, "Where is this coming from?" her voice was soft again, and it filled him with shame.

He calmed and stopped pulling against her grip, embarrassment flooding him. She looked up at him imploringly; somehow she had refused to be frightened by his outburst. She was still there, next to him, waiting for him to explain.

"I'm sorry Rey." He said softly, unable to look her in the eye, "I know you don't want any of this, and I am only making it worse for you."

Sadness crept across her face, sadness and sympathy. She wasn't angry at him for the outburst, instead he could see her empathizing with him.

He continued, "I feel like a predator around you. The truth is, I think politically it would be safest if we shared a room, and probably shared a bed, to protect ourselves from the rumors and criticism of our enemies, but you've had your heart broken tonight – how can I ask any of this of you now?"

He braved a glance up to her face, and saw her eyes rimmed with tears again. He cursed himself for making things worse yet again, but to his surprise, she pushed herself into his chest, and threw her arms around his body into a deep hug.

So long had it been since he had received a hug, he barely remembered how to properly respond. After an awkward pause he put his hands on her back, patting her slowly. He could smell her hair, and stopped himself from breathing the scent in deeply. She felt perfect in his arms, tiny and strong. He remained as still as he could manage to prevent any movement that might be misinterpreted by her. She pulled back, and said, "We can get through this – as long as we talk to each other."

He nodded silently.

She put her hand on his arm, and leaned in. "What would you _like_ me to call you?" Her question was soft and sincere.

He struggled to answer her. He hardly knew. Ben Solo was a weak child who had failed at everything he tried. He had reinvented himself as Kylo Ren and began to turn his life around. But the galaxy couldn't bow to a king with a Sith name. It was the Skywalkers and the Kenobis they wanted to see united.

"You can call me Ben," He said finally, "but I'd prefer Ben Skywalker to Ben Solo. My father and I were never close, and it's a Skywalker the galaxy wants on the throne anyway."

She nodded. "You always told me Ben was a name for heroes, like my grandfather."

Kylo was stunned. He had said this to her years before, in a tiny bedroom not far from where they currently stood. They had been talking about the meaning in people's names and she had asked him what Rey meant. Little Ben had told her it had meant "a beautiful light" because that was exactly what it had meant to him. Then she had asked him what his name meant, so he told her he had been named after her grandfather, a hero. He couldn't believe she had remembered any of it. She couldn't have been more than five or six when it happened.

He smiled down at her, and before he could stop himself, he tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear the way he used to when they were young. They both looked equally surprised by the gesture. He was about to apologize when he heard the sounds of a ships engine's approaching in the distance. He waited a long moment, to track the ship's signature. The ship seemed to be heading straight for them; the sounds increased steadily until it was nearly upon them.

He felt Rey's grip tighten on his arm, "Did you tell anyone to come here?" She asked, her voice quiet as a whisper, as if to hide herself from the approaching ship.

"No. I gave specific orders to wait until the morning." He answered, pulling away from her and heading back to the stairs.

He heard her follow along behind him, "So did I."

They hurried down the stairs and back to the landing pad where an X-Wing was completing its landing sequence.

He looked over to her and the recognition on her face told him everything he needed to know: the ship was Poe's.

* * *

 _Thanks again for the feedback everyone - it was super encouraging and helpful. I love hearing your thoughts. :) So much Reylo love to you all from my trash compactor to yours._


	3. Chapter 3

_So... I did not intend this to be a multi-chapter fic, but since several of you asked, I have given a go at expanding this and have thoroughly enjoyed it, so thank you. This chapter sets up some romatical things in the next chapter, but please do forgive me that this one is a little slow._

 _Some ground rules; This story was inspired by the politics in Bloodline. Rey is not a Jedi. She is like Leia: force-sensitive but untrained. Kylo/Ben is a Jedi, who used his power for the First Order. There is no Snoke - Kylo/Ben is a free actor. There is no force-bond. (#sadface) There is no Han murder. (#happyface) And Hux sux... As per usual. (Just kidding I love Hux, but I need a villain here, guys!)_

 _Thanks again for all the love, and please do continue to let me know what you think. I very much enjoy hearing your thoughts._

 _I do have another fic called "Control Your Emotions" and though it seems like I've abandoned it since it has been approximately 6,412 years since I've updated, I have, in fact, been working on that one as well. If you're at all interested, check that one out too! :)_

 _Thanks again #teamReylo. You guys are the coolest and we are lucky to be lurking in this trashship together :)_

Kylo hung back, letting Rey run ahead to greet the pilot. He hung his head low, struggling with both the guilt and anger brewing within his heart.

But when he looked up again, he saw Rey rushing to embrace the traitor strormtrooper; Dameron was nowhere to be seen.

Rey threw her arms around the trooper, as he caught her around her middle. Her feet left the ground briefly as he hugged her tightly, and even at his distance, Kylo heard a small squeal of joy escape Rey's mouth.

Kylo couldn't see Rey's face as she hugged the traitor, but he could see the traitor - his expression concerned but relieved by the sight of Rey.

Kylo's pulse quickened as we watched them separate, the traitor's hands still on Rey's shoulders. He rushed over to them, his interest in chivalry dissolving with each passing moment.

"What the hell are you doing here, trooper?" Kylo demanded, his voice deep and rough.

Rey turned from the traitor to look up at him, her expression shocked and angry, but before she could speak the traitor had jumped in, pushing in front of Rey and raising a blaster into Kylo's face, "Get the hell away from her. We're leaving."

Kylo ignored the blaster entirely and smirked, stating coldly, "Oh really?"

The traitor's determination never waivered. Keeping the blaster raised, he turned to Rey and said, "Let's go."

Kylo looked to Rey who uneasily met his gaze. He was disappointed to see her struggle momentarily, but she recovered, saying to the trooper, "Finn, I'm not leaving." Her voice was soft, as though she were trying to comfort the trooper out of a bad dream.

The traitor furrowed his brows, "Rey this farce is over. They captured Poe. We have to go, _now_!"

Rey's comforting expression quickly fell into shock, "What? Who captured Poe?"

The traitor shook his blaster in Kylo's direction, "The First Order!"

Kylo ignored the traitor entirely and turned to Rey, his expression concerned yet calm. He touched her back and she turned to look up at hi her face full of fear.

He stated quietly, "It will look like you only agreed in order to save Poe's life."

Rey nodded seriously, having already arrived at the same conclusion.

"If we announce tomorrow, the Populists will think I was coerced." She ageed.

Kylo nodded grimly.

Rey's face scrunched up as she began working on a plan.

The traitor looked at her with incredulity, seeming to have missed the meaning of their exchange. "Rey!? What are you… We have to go, NOW!"

Rey focused her attention back on the trooper. Stepping between the gun and Kylo, she reached up to take hold of his arm, and slowly lowered it so that his blaster pointed to the ground.

"Finn, Ben did not order Poe's capture. This threatens to ruin everything he and I were trying to achieve. It will hurt _both_ of us if word gets out." She said calmly.

The traitors face contorted in horror and shock, "Rey! Listen to yourself! Kylo Ren is a monster. He wants power and nothing else. He wanted to get rid of Poe, or maybe he wanted to use Poe as a way to take away your power, or maybe he wanted to-"

Rey interrupted him, "Finn, no. He wants peace. We both want _peace_."

The traitor's patience snapped, his voice lowering angrily, "'Peace'? This is the man who ordered the destruction of entire villages! He ordered the murder of _civilians_. He helped destroy an entire planet! He stole me and countless others from our families so that he could build an army of brainwashed soldiers! And now he's captured Poe and we have to leave now to save him!"

Kylo's heart sank as he watched Rey's face fall. She looked pained as she heard the traitor's words, disgusted by the list of atrocities attributed to him.

Rey opened her mouth to speak, but Kylo cut her off, his anger flaring, "Always three steps behind, FN-2187."

He spoke coldly and slowly, "I've given difficult orders; I've hurt people. I'm a leader, and that's what we do – we make the tough decisions others cannot make, balancing the good against the bad. Destroying one village kept _thousands_ of others in order. Kidnapping children for our army enabled the First Order to protect the _millions_ of children living in the systems we governed. We were at war, trooper, and I won't apologize for any of it. Your General Kenobi here has also made decisions that have resulted in the loss of life. She understood what was at stake: we were fighting a war and sacrifices had to be made."

Kylo stared down the traitor whose gaze remained hatefully fixed on him, "But," he continued coldly, "I did _not_ order Dameron's capture. I suspect General Hux is behind that maneuver."

Rey looked up at him. She had paled as he compared his violent acts to her own, but then had nodded slowly as she contemplated his conclusion, "It does makes sense. General Hux will lose a great deal of power if we succeed in establishing a new government. Do you know where he would have taken Poe?"

The trooper looked at her, his eyes wide with surprise. "Rey, you cannot be serious! You believe this?"

Rey's face fell. She took a deep breath and said, "Yes. I do." Kylo's heart fluttered as she said this.

She continued, "Finn, I need you to trust me." She stepped towards the traitor and gazed up at him imploringly, "Ben and I are going to go rescue Poe, and I need you to return to the Resistance."

Kylo stiffened.

The traitor opened his mouth to object, but Rey raised her hand to his chest to interrupt and firmly said, "Finn, I am going to enact the Naboo Charter, but in order for it to succeed, I need your help. The Resistance _has_ to be made to understand that Poe's capture was committed by an enemy to peace, not by an enemy to the Resistance. You need make then understand that Ben had nothing to do with Poe's capture, and that he and I are going to rescue Poe and bring him home safely."

The trooper grasped Rey's hand from his chest, and held it tightly. "Rey I can't just leave you with him, I don't trust him."

Kylo clenched his hands into fists as he watched Rey step yet closer to the traitor and whispering, "I know. But you trust me, don't you?"

The traitor nodded.

"Please trust me now. We have the chance to bring true peace back to the galaxy. We _have_ to try." Rey gazed up at him earnestly, her eyes bright and hopeful.

The traitor's determination slowly faded, his expression of anger and fear gradually melting away to be replaced by one of sympathy and acceptance. He nodded, and looked back at Kylo. Storing his blaster on his belt, he stepped up to Kylo, and raised his index finger to point at him, "If you're lying about this I will make you pay." He raised his eyebrows threateningly.

Kylo smirked and responded in a bored voice, "Noted."

The traitor shook his head in frustration, and back turned to Rey, "Good luck, Rey,"

She smiled at him, and waved as he headed back to the X-Wing. "I'll see you soon."

As the ship unfolded and prepared to leave the landing pad, Kylo felt Rey turn to him.

He stiffened, looking down at her sternly.

"So what's our plan? Do you know where they would have taken him?" She looked up at him with hope in her eyes.

Kylo sighed and began walking away from Rey, "Rey, you're not going," he stated firmly.

She ran after him and grabbed his arm, pulling him to a stop, "What!? We just told Finn that we were going after him. We can't just sit back and do nothing!"

"We're not doing nothing. _I'm_ going to go save the pilot's damned skin while _you_ stay here and wait."

Rey's face contorted into a rage so strong that Kylo stepped back from her slightly.

"I am _not_ going to 'stay here wait,' Ben!" she pushed slightly at him.

"Rey think about it: Hux wants to prevent us from enacting the charter. Kidnapping Poe was a good start, but he sure as hell didn't do it in order to lure _me_ into a rescue mission…" His voice faded away, implying the obvious conclusion, but Rey was too angry to think straight.

She continued to stare angrily at him, failing to comprehend his implication.

"It's a trap, Rey. A trap designed specifically for _you_." Kylo's voice was stern. He watched as comprehension washed across her face. "He won't risk hurting me; he needs me to keep his precious First Order in line, but Hux would not hesitate to hurt you, in fact, I'd wager that would be his goal."

Rey's anger faded slowly, "Ben, I can't just sit here and do nothing."

He watched frustration and fear cross her face and he wished he knew how to comfort her. He reached for her shoulders reassuringly and said, "I know. You've always been a brave fighter, but you now have to protect the New Republic above all else. The Charter is worthless without you, and we have to keep you safe in order to enact it. It may not feel like it, but keeping out of the fray is the bravest thing you can do right now."

She closed her eyes and breathed deeply, trying to push away her frustrations.

"I'll bring him back, Rey." Kylo looked away from her, not wanting to her face as he discussed Poe. "I'll bring him back to you." He turned away and began walking to the ship again, but stopped as he heard her say, "No."

He turned slowly to look at her.

She walked up to him and placed her hands on his chest. "Bring him to the Resistance."

Kylo narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"You will earn the all of the Populists' trust in one evening if you bring him directly to the Resistance Base all on your own. Hux will have made a grave error when we turn his attack into an opportunity for greater unity."

Kylo nodded slowly, appreciating the strength of her plan. "Yes. That is brilliant, Rey."

She smiled brightly up at him, and he ached with pleasure at the sight, focusing on the feel of her hands on his chest.

He smiled down at her, becoming suddenly self-conscious of his unfamiliarity with the expression due to years of disuse. He was far more comfortable smirking.

Rey's face grew suddenly serious, as she appeared to steel herself to something. He watched her stern expression spread.

"Are you sure?" He asked quietly stating, "I can bring him here instead."

She shook her head. "No." Her voice was strong.

She lifted her beautiful brown eyes up to gaze at him, and lifted herself on her tip-toes to place a gentle kiss on his cheek. "Good luck." She said quietly, lowering herself back down.

He felt the blood rush to his face and struggled to maintain calm. His face tingled at the touch of her soft lips on his cheek, the way her hand pushed gently into him in order to help her balance as she reach up to connect with him. He worked to calm the quick pace of his heart, and tried to center himself in order to keep calm.

He nodded to her and headed to his ship.

Rey watched with apprehension as Ben stalked up the landing ramp and into his shuttle. He had to bow his head in order to pass under the doorframe into the interior. She wrapped her arms around herself wondering whether it was the cool of the evening breeze or the pit of worry in her stomach that was sending shivers down her back and into her core.

Rey took a deep breath, and replayed Ben's words in her mind, _"You have to protect the New Republic above all else."_

She wrinkled her face in frustration and sighed. She felt like a coward, staying here while Ben went off to save Poe.

The ship's engines alighted with bright fiery power. Rey felt the air swirling around her, the breeze warmed by the engine's combustion.

She remained on the patio, watching the ship disappear slowly into Naboo's purple horizon, the giant sun of the planet slowly falling behind the mountains.

After she could see him no longer, she glanced back to the castle and began to head back inside. Solitude closed in around her.

This area of the planet had been abandoned since the chemical bombings of her youth. Though the air was no longer toxic, the earth remained scorched purple like a bruise – a terrible reminder of how the war had scared the galaxy. It was sorrow that had kept people away all these years, mourning for the peace that had died in the blast.

Rey sighed and headed back into the large and empty castle. It had felt welcoming when she had entered the grand hall with Ben, but now in her isolation, it felt like an echoing tomb.

Even though she and Ben had been fighting earlier, it had felt familiar and warm to walk up the grand staircase beside him. She smiled to herself as she wondered if it had felt familiar _because_ they had been fighting. She could hear the echo of his frustrated sigh, the way he used to scold her by only saying her name in exasperation, how he would tighten in mouth into a thin line as he attempted to mask his annoyance. She had tried for years to forget how she would revel in irritating him, giggling to herself as she watched him attempt to control his exasperation. As a child she had felt safe with him; she had known that there was nothing she could to do incite his wrath, mostly because she had tested the boundaries of his anger so thoroughly. When she would hear, years later, about the true boundaries of his wrath it disturbed her to her core.

She continued to the top of the stair and slowly traveled down the corridor to a most familiar room: her old room. She pushed the door open slowly and peered into the small bedchamber, a flood of memories coming to the surface.

Debris scattered the floor, the bookshelves had toppled over and her bed was barren of the thick white sheets she had snuggled as a child. The room looked haunted, empty of the warmth and comfort she had known long ago.

She moved to the bed and sat down, placing her delicate hands onto the mattress, feeling the fabric.

Unbidden, the memory of her last hours of Naboo pushed themselves into her consciousness. Fire, smoke, destruction. It would have been terrifying even for an adult, but for little Rey it was a waking nightmare.

She would have died here if not for Ben, she remembered. It was a thought she had barricaded herself against, a memory she tried to deny as if it were not her own. So successful had she been at repressing this memory, that it had been years since the thought had come into her consciousness at all. In some small way she had learned to deny its veracity.

And yet every time she received reports of his atrocities, she had struggled to make sense of how the protector of her youth had become the butcher of her adulthood, how he could have changed into a monster. It forced her to remember the boy that he had been and wonder at the man he had become.

She signed deeply and began to stand, but as she rose, she heard the sound of approaching engines.

Her heart leapt. Could he be back so soon? Perhaps something had gone wrong…

She hurried back to the grand stair and ran down to the first floor in a sprint. She rushed back out to the tarmac in time to see the landing ramp descending from a First Order ship, and a tall, red-haired man exit onto the platform.

Her stomach fell.

Hux.


End file.
